Ken Jennings is going to have to get used to a new title: Jeopardy! runner-up.
The record-breaking, seemingly all-knowing quiz-show star stumbled Wednesday, losing to onetime record store clerk Brad Rutter on Jeopardy!'s three-day tournament of champions.
Jennings, who raked in $2.5 million during his unprecedented 74-game winning streak last year, was easily defeated by Rutter on the syndicated knowledge fest.
The 31-year-old Utah resident finished behind Rutter on all three installments of the sweeps-timed tourney. Rutter's $62,000 total nearly doubled Jennings' $34,599 over the span.
For his mastery over Jennings and other returning Jeopardy! champs, Rutter walked away with $2 million. For his second-place showing, Jennings tallied $500,000.
Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek seemed flustered with the result Wednesday. Greeting Rutter as the ultimate champion, Trebek added that "Ken is still up there" before rushing over to console his favorite former champ, shaking KenJen's hand as Rutter stood alone in the winner's circle looking a bit confused. Trebek has reason to like Jennings; KenJen boosted ratings by a whopping 22 percent during his tenure last year and helped earn Jeopardy! a Daytime Emmy for Best Game Show.
Prior to the Final Jeopardy question, Trebek asked Jennings if he felt any pressure to win Wednesday.
"There's very little financial pressure," the already rich Jennings said. "To tell you the truth, it's just so fun to play."
Earlier in the telecast, Trebek noted that Jennings' credibility was on the line now that the former software engineer is capitalizing on his fame as the all-time Jeopardy! champ with his own Comedy Central quiz show this fall, several commercial and promotional duties, a book and a forthcoming board game.
But Jennings took the loss in stride. On his Final Jeopardy question, he scrawled, "Go Brad" on his card.